A place where I'll post up some thoughts and ideas - especially on literature in education, children's literature in general, poetry, reading, writing, teaching and thoughts on current affairs.

Monday, 9 March 2015

Free schools hurrah (the Brixton experience)

I received this from an old friend, Rahul Patel:

"Here in Brixton, they want to close down the FE college, which has 2000 on waiting list for ESOL classes, and put in a Free School. They have already taken over parts of the college, expected rolls for the first of operation were supposed to be 120. Actual number 19. £18m given over to free school. So just under £1m for each child. 4 parents turned up for today's Open Day!

The Chair of Governors, Dennis Sewell, spouting racist drivel says that the British brought civilised standards to the people of Africa and Asia, sending missionaries "to instruct the natives in personal hygiene, instil good table manners and preach the gospel", adding: "the occasional unlucky one found himself in a cannibal’s pot for his trouble;". This is one of his milder comments. We are calling for his suspension."